JustthenthefppingofmightywingswasheardandtheykhatMedusahadarrived.Lookinguptheysawabigbckbirdswoopdownfromonhigh,turnasomersaultanddropdowntothegroundintheshapeofabeautifulserpent-hairedwoman.WhiteFairywalkedovertoherandsaid,
“HiMedusa.Howeyouarehere?”
“Yoneforalongtimeanditwasgettingte,soIcametomakesurethatyouarealrightandnothinguntowardhadhappened.Areyht?”
“I’mfineahingisgoingfihinkthatthereisagreatpossibilitythatwewouldbeabletoaplishoal…”MedusasawtheanswerinWhiteFairy’seyes.Smileslighteduptheeighteyesofthesefourpeopleastheystoodinthenarrowvalleyandstaredilyateachnifyingtheirwillioletgoofthepastandallitstwistsandturns,loveandhatred.Thepastwasgoneanddohandtheynolongerharboredanygrudgesagainsteachother.TheatmosphereatournedfriendlywhenCyclopsbroketheicebysaying,
“Hi,Medusa.Iknowwhyareyouarehere.Iamwillingtodomybesttohelpyou,butsomethingsarehardtoaplish.Ihavenoproblemclimbingupthissheercliff…butIleenisjustrecandotbesubjectedtostressorherjusthealingwoundsmightrupture.Thatwon’tbegood.”Medusaughedandsaid,
“That’snotaproblem.Don’tfetIamahugebird.Shesitonmyback,holdontomyfeathersandIwilltakeherupfromthisdeepabysstothecliffabove…WhiteFairyisapuffofsmokeandwillnothaveanyproblems,either.Well,let’sgetgoing…”
“JustamomentMedusa”interruptedCyclops,suddenlyturningseriousandsaidsolemnly“LateronwhenIamclimbingupthecliffusingbothandhandsa,pleasedon’tchargeddownatmefromonhighwhileIamstucktheredefenselessorIwillcertainlyfalltomydeaththenandbesmashedtosmithereens…”TherewasashockedsilenomentbeforetheyrealizedthatCyclopshadmadeajokeandallburstintoughter.Therough-and-tumbleaguyactuallyhadasenseofhumorandwasribbingMedusaaboutthetimesheattackedhiminthemiddleofhisdestfromthecliff!”ItwasluckythatatthetimeMedusa’sheartsoftehememoryoftheirpastretionshipanddidnotdealhimthemortalstrokeforotherwisenowtherewouldbeohelpherraisethegoldpathebottomofthekeseeBook2KingdomintheDreams…Inhighspiritsandahappyatmosphereofradeship,thefourofthemquicklypreparedtoleave.Medusaturebckbirdandstoppedontheground.Ileentheantlymountedonherbadclutchedherfeatherswhenthebckbirdsoaredupintotheskies.WhiteFairyturoapuffoflightsmokeandfloateduptheskies.Cyclopsquicklyandagilelyclimbedupthesheercliffwithbothhishandsa.
Theluminousfullmoohemiddleoftheskyandshoheearth,makingitalmostasbrightasday.Lookingatthenightsky,Medusa’sheartwasfilledwithanindescribabletension.Thebrighterthemoorongerherfeelingofinexplicablefear.“Couldthisfullmoonbeanomenofbadthingstoe?”shethought.“Ohno,no.Sihebeginningoftime,thefullmoonhadalwaysbeenanauspicioussymbondnotaharbingerofbadluck.Iambeingoverlysuspicious.”Medusa’spiergeyeslookedalroundher.Scoutsarieshadbeenpostedinthesurroundingforestsiandwouldshootresoundingarrowsintotheairincaseofanyemergennumerableopenfireshadbeenlitonthebanksofthekeandthousandsofnativeswerebusywalkingtoandfroattendingtotheirassigasks.“Noactsmusthappenatthiscriticalpoihegoldpacewasabouttoberaisedoutoftheke”thoughtMedusa.“Perhapsstressandtensionarecausingthisfeelingofuneasei.Butwhatdangercouldpossiblybelurking?Ithinkof.Imustbetookeyedupandamwaboutnothing.AwrysmiletouchedtheersofMedusa’slips.
Ileen’seyesweregluedtothesurfaceofthewaterasshewaitedanxiously.“Cyclopshasbeenierforquiteawhile”shethought.“Whyhasn’theeupyet?Couldsomethinguntowardhavehappehoughheisehsuperhumahandmatchlessenergy,heisafteralureandnotatalgoodswimmer.Couldsomethinghavehappeohimdownthereiomofthewater?”Ileenknewshewasmakingamountainoutofamolehole,butCyclopswassomeonenearaoherheart.Howcouldshenotworryaboutherman?WhiteFairykneasgoingthroughIleen’smind,soshewalkedovertoherandsaid,
“Don’tworry,Ileen.NothingwillhappentoCyclops.Hehasbeensuccessfullygoingbadforthsomanytimescarryingthingsfromndtothebottomofthekeandnothinghashappened.Heisusedtuerbynohingwillhappen.AlsoDeannaisdowntherewithhim.Thatgirlpracticallygrewupiersoyousurelyhavefidenhercapabilities.WithherswimmingwithhimandhelpinghiminwhatevercapacityCyclopswants,youneedhavenoworries.”Thenpointingtoanopehebankofthekeshesaid,“Lookatthatfire,Ileen.Wehaveawholembroastingoveraslowfire.It’scrispyandgoldenbrownandalmostdonenow.There’salsotwobarrelsofgoodliquor.WhenCyclopsesuphetakeabreakandhaveadelieal.Allthepreparatoryworkisdoneandoisedtoraisethegoldpathebottomoftheke.Isn’tthisaingtime?...”Ileen’seyesagainlookedalroundandsawthatthegroundfromthebankoftheketotheinalsiteofthegoldpacewascoveredwithcarpetmadeofcunnysack.Shekhatthenativeshaddesighisspeciallytopreveremelyheavygoldpaboggingintothesoisitwasbeingmovedupthehill.Onthebankofanotherpartoftheke,severalstrongstalwartbare-chestedyoungnativewarriorstookturicallypeddlingthehugebellowsectedtoaleatherpipethatwentstraightdowntothebottomoftheke.Oherendoftheleatherpipeig’sstomachmadeintoasemitransparentmaskfittedtoCyclops’head.ItwasthroughthispipethatfreshairwastransmittedtoCyclops,enablinghishighcapacitylungstobreatheasheworkedatthebottomofke.Seeingthatallpreparationshadbeeivelydone,Ileehedasighofrelief.
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